A seemingly tense interaction between KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka after the IPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants has triggered fresh speculation about the nature of their past association. Rahul, who captained LSG from 2022 to 2024, parted ways with the franchise ahead of this season and was picked by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 auction.

On Tuesday, as Delhi Capitals secured a comfortable eight-wicket win over LSG, Rahul played a key role, scoring an unbeaten 57 off 44 balls. But it wasn’t just his performance that drew attention. After the match, the star cricketer shared a noticeably distant and brief handshake with Goenka, the LSG owner. The interaction was caught on camera and quickly went viral, with fans calling it a “cold handshake.”

History of tension revisited

Rahul’s departure from LSG came after a widely circulated video from IPL 2024 showed Goenka speaking animatedly with him following a disappointing loss to SunRisers Hyderabad. Though Rahul officially cited a desire for “more freedom” and a “relaxed dressing room” as reasons for his exit, the viral footage had fuelled speculation of internal discord.

Their reunion at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday marked the first on-field meeting since that contentious departure, and the awkward body language seemed to reflect unresolved tension. The brief encounter even prompted Indian cricketer Hanuma Vihari to post a cryptic social media message: “Cold hand-shake.”

Goenka downplays friction

Amidst growing chatter around the incident, Sanjiv Goenka has addressed the matter publicly. Speaking on a podcast, he described KL Rahul as a “shareef insaan” (a decent person) and reiterated his respect and affection for the player.

“KL Rahul has always been family for me and he will remain that way,” Goenka stated. “He captained Lucknow for three years and gave great results. I wish him the best in life. He is honest and talented, and I hope the world sees more of his ability.”

New records for Rahul

Despite the off-field spotlight, Rahul reached a significant milestone during the game. He became the fastest batter to score 5000 runs in IPL history, achieving the feat in just 130 innings. The 32-year-old surpassed renowned names like David Warner, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Shikhar Dhawan in the elite list.

With a promising start to his new stint at Delhi Capitals, Rahul appears focused on letting his bat do the talking—even if the past continues to shadow him on and off the field.

At just 14, Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name into Indian Premier League (IPL) history on Saturday, delivering a breathtaking debut for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Lucknow Super Giants at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium. The Bihar-born left-hander, the youngest-ever IPL debutant, stunned the cricketing world with a 20-ball 34, smashing his first delivery for a six and earning accolades from Google CEO Sundar Pichai and global cricket stars.

With RR captain Sanju Samson sidelined by a thumb injury, Vaibhav seized his opportunity, facing Lucknow’s Shardul Thakur. His audacious cover-driven six off the opening ball placed him among an elite group, including Andre Russell and Sameer Rizvi, who achieved the same feat on their IPL debuts, as per the reports. The teenager’s knock, laced with two more sixes and two boundaries, displayed a flair and composure that belied his age, captivating a global audience.

Social media erupted with praise. Pichai tweeted, “Woke up to see an 8th grader dominate the IPL! Unreal debut!” England’s Sam Billings, currently in the Pakistan Super League, likened Vaibhav’s elegant bat swing to “prime Yuvraj Singh,” calling the performance “mind-blowing.”

Former Australian bowler Damien Fleming was equally astonished, posting, “14 years old, first ball for 6 over cover—Vaibhav is a phenomenon!” Cricket.com reported the knock as a testament to India’s rich talent pipeline, with Vaibhav’s fearless approach drawing comparisons to emerging stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Vaibhav, who honed his skills at a Patna cricket academy, had previously shone in domestic tournaments, including a century for India’s U-19 team, per the reports. His IPL call-up followed a stellar Rs. 1.1 crore bid at the 2025 auction, reflecting RR’s faith in his potential. Despite his heroics, RR faltered, falling two runs short in their chase, marking their sixth defeat in eight matches this season, as per the reports.

In a disheartening turn of events for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), pacer Josh Hazlewood has attributed the team’s third straight home defeat to both an atypical Chinnaswamy pitch and a struggle to apply lessons from previous matches.

The RCB faced a five-wicket loss to Punjab Kings in a rain-shortened 14-over match on Friday night, following earlier defeats against the Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals.

Hazlewood pointed out the unique challenges of the Chinnaswamy wicket, contrasting it with more consistent surfaces from past seasons. “It’s not a typical Chinnaswamy wicket. There’s always been bounce, but it’s been more consistent in years gone by,” he remarked during the post-match press conference. This sentiment echoed earlier concerns voiced by RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik, who expressed discontent with the pitch quality and intended to confer with the local curator after their loss to Delhi.

The Australian fast bowler underscored the importance of a robust power play, noting that the team has been “a bit slow on the learnings” from their earlier matches, particularly in the initial overs. “We probably didn’t put that into practice as well as we could have in those first six to eight overs,” Hazlewood added, reflecting on the team’s sluggish start.

Despite the disappointing results, Hazlewood remains optimistic about RCB’s potential to turn the tide. “We’ll analyse this game in detail when we get back to Bangalore,” he said, highlighting the need for careful assessment to learn and improve.

He offered guidance for his batting colleagues, urging them to take a step back and evaluate conditions before launching into aggressive shots. “If we can have our top five or six batters perform well throughout the innings, that will go a long way in helping us secure victory,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings spinner Harpreet Brar praised the performance of middle-order batsman Nehal Wadhera, who played a pivotal role in guiding his team to victory with an unbeaten 33 runs off 19 balls. Brar highlighted Wadhera’s experience and recent form, noting his crucial contributions during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Reflecting on his performance, Brar shared his readiness to deliver in high-pressure moments even in his first match of the season, stating, “In small matches, you have to be on your toes. I was ready. It was my first game of the season. I didn’t know that I would bowl in the last over.”

As RCB battles to find their rhythm, the team will need to address these issues promptly to reverse their current trajectory in the competition.